Tribute to Blues musician Willie King

Award-winning blues musician Willie King died March 8 at his home in the Old Memphis community of Pickens County, Ala, near the Mississippi line. Mr. King and his band, the Liberators, made six albums and a DVD since they started playing professionally. One won the Living Blues magazine “album of the year” in 2000.

King described his style of music as “struggle blues”

because much of it was about the struggles against racism in the South. He played in a major concert the night before he died of a heart attack.

He played mainly in his hometown in Aliceville, Ala., and would travel professionally to the largest blues festivals in North America and Europe, but he was always willing to play at progressive events. I first saw him play in Birmingham, Ala., at a rally to support the women’s health clinic there after it was bombed.

Willie King will be sorely missed.